Breathalyzer system for social media

ABSTRACT

A breathalyzer system for use with a computer consisting of a breathalyzer, computer software and hardware, an interface and method for delaying posts by persons who cannot prove sobriety upon initial posting. The breathalyzer registers the level of sobriety, and the result is sent through an interface to the software. If the alcohol level is below an acceptable threshold, unencumbered access to the social media is granted. If the alcohol level is above an acceptable threshold, access to websites, posting on social media websites, uploading videos, online gambling, or making large purchases is restricted.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This present application claims the benefit of Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/545,997 filed Oct. 11, 2011. The prior application isincorporated herein by reference.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND

The invention comprises a system, method, and apparatus for regulatingposts to social media networks by persons with a history ofintoxication. Currently, restrictions for making posts to social mediarelate to age requirements, and are largely based on the honor system.If a person uses obscenities, posts pornography, or misrepresents theiridentity, a content administrator may penalize the user or block theirposts after the fact. Otherwise, the user is largely free to post whatthey desire.

As a result of this freedom, persons who are intoxicated are also freeto post on social media, even though they may not be in the right frameof mind. Posting while intoxicated often causes damage to relationships,reputations, and careers. Because social networks do not regulate theability to post while intoxicated, nor by law, it is incumbent upon aperson with a history of intoxication to regulate his or her own conductwhen participating in social media networks. This is difficult because adrinker sometimes does not know when he or she may be too intoxicated toparticipate in social media networks. For the foregoing reasons, thereis a need for a breathalyzer system that can provide a means forlimiting a person's own access to social media networks whileintoxicated.

SUMMARY

The breathalyzer system consists of a breathalyzer, computer softwareand hardware, standard interfaces, and a method for delaying posts bypersons who cannot prove sobriety upon initial posting. To post on asocial network, the software will require a user to prove sobriety. Thisis accomplished by blowing into a breathalyzer connected to a user'scomputer. The breathalyzer registers the level of sobriety, and theresult is sent through an interface to the software. If the alcohollevel is below an acceptable threshold, for example, below 0.07%, thesoftware will grant unencumbered access to the social media. If thealcohol level is above the acceptable threshold, the software will blockand buffer the user's posts for a later time.

The intoxicated person may not know whether the post was successful.When the user later proves sobriety by blowing into the breathalyzer andregistering an acceptable level of sobriety (below the acceptablethreshold), the software will prompt the user to approve or deny postsmade while he or she registered above the acceptable threshold (while heor she was intoxicated). The software can also intercept outbound emailsand can send an alternate post instead. Intercepted posts and uploadswill be buffered for review at a later time by the user.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a breathalyzer system according to oneembodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 2A and 2B shows a circuit diagram of a preferred embodiment ofthis invention. FIG. 2B is a continuation of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of this inventionillustrating the sequence of software operation.

DESCRIPTION

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the breathalyzer system is comprised of abreathalyzer 100 and computer software with standard interfaces thatuses a method for delaying posts by persons who cannot prove sobrietyupon initial posting. The “breathalyzer” 100 is the unit that the personblows into and houses a printed circuit board and a means forcommunicating with the computer. The computer software provides aninterface where functions of the breathalyzer system are carried out.Because each person may have a different breath-alcohol threshold beforeintoxication occurs, each user can set his or her level in the systemupon installation, or whenever the software registers an alcoholthreshold level below a currently set alcohol threshold level.Alternatively, the computer software may be set to recognizeintoxication levels set by law.

The breathalyzer shown in FIG. 1. The breathalyzer housing 104 can be inthe form of a 50 ml plastic alcoholic nip bottle or any other shapesuitable for containing the device's hardware 102. The hardware 102includes an alcohol/ethanol sensor, a microcontroller, a micro-USB port,a rechargeable battery, an Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-OnlyMemory chip (EEPROM), light emitting diodes (LEDs), and Bluetooth orIEEE 802.11 connectivity. Now referring to circuit diagram in FIG. 2,the printed circuit board comprises the system electronics and analyzesthe alcohol/ethanol content in the user's breath. The information iscommunicated to the computer through the USB port, Bluetooth, or an802.11 connection.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart, illustrating how the breathalyzer systemsoftware functions with regard to its environment. When the user startstheir computer 302, the breathalyzer system is activated. If the userattempts to enter or use an “alcohol-sensitive” website 304 (i.e., onethat has been designated as posing a risk of danger or embarrassment tothe user when used while intoxicated), the system will prompt the userto blow into the breathalyzer 306. Alochol-sensitive websites can bedetermined by the user upon installing the breathalyzer system.Alternatively, the breathalyzer system may already recognize commonlyused social media such as Twitter or Facebook as alcohol-sensitivewebsite, with the option of designating additional social mediawebsites. Using the breathalyzer may also be required to recover thecomputer from sleep mode or the screen saver. If the user is accessing anon alcohol-sensitive website, they will be allowed to advance 308. Ifthe user is found to be intoxicated 310, they may be restricted fromentering alcohol-sensitive websites, posting on social media such asTwitter or Facebook, uploading videos, online gambling, or makingpurchases 314 (e.g., Amazon, E-bay, stock market). Alternatively, thesystem may buffer the intoxicated user's post for one hour before onceagain testing the user for intoxication. When a user is found to beintoxicated, the device may also provide a list of favorite websites tobe used while intoxicated.

Depending on the level of intoxication 316, the breathalyzer system maywait two hours and then ask the user to once again blow into thebreathalyzer 312. If the device is removed, all alcohol-sensitivewebsites and applications will remain inaccessible. Once the user isfound to be sober by the breathalyzer system, a log of all bufferedposts will be presented to the user. The user may then decide whether tosend, delete or save the posts.

The invention does not require that all the advantageous features andall the advantages need to be incorporated into every embodiment of theinvention. Although the present invention has been described inconsiderable detail with reference to certain preferred versionsthereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims should not be limited to the description of thepreferred versions contained herein.

What is claimed:
 1. A method for regulating posts to social medianetworks by persons with a history of intoxication, comprised of thefollowing steps: a breathalyzer system is installed to a computer, saidbreathalyzer system comprised of a breathalyzer unit, computer softwarefor monitoring alcohol levels and granting access to alcohol-sensitivewebsites, and standard computer interfaces; the software receives inputto recognize an alcohol threshold level; the software receives input torecognize at least one alcohol-sensitive website; the software prompts auser to breath into the breathalyzer unit when the user attempts toaccess the at least one alcohol-sensitive website; and the softwaredelays, restricts, or grants access to the at least onealcohol-sensitive website under the following conditions: when thesoftware registers an alcohol level beyond the alcohol threshold level,the software restricts or delays access to alcohol-sensitive websites;when the software registers an alcohol level below the alcohol thresholdlevel, the software grants access to alcohol-sensitive websites; whenthe breathalyzer is removed, the software restricts or delays access toalcohol-sensitive websites.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein thesoftware receives input from a user to recognize an alcohol thresholdlevel upon installation or where the software registers an alcoholthreshold level below a currently set alcohol threshold level.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein alcohol-sensitive websites include socialmedia websites, websites for uploading videos, online gambling websites,and websites for making online purchases.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein in the case of online social media, the software delays a postby buffering the post for at least one hour before prompting the user toregister his alcohol level again, and wherein the software grants thepost if the software registers an alcohol level below the alcoholthreshold, but further buffers the post for at least one additional hourbefore prompting the user to register his alcohol level again.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein once the software registers an alcohol levelbelow the alcohol threshold, the software presents all buffered posts tothe user with an option to send, delete or save the posts.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein if the software registers an alcohol level above thealcohol threshold, the software further provides a list of favoritenon-alcohol sensitive websites.
 7. The breathalyzer unit of claim 1comprised of: a housing that a person can blow into that contains amicrocontroller for processing data; an alcohol and ethanol sensor forsending intoxication data to the microcontroller; an ElectricallyErasable Programmable Read-Only Memory chip to store data when power tothe device is removed; a data connection to a computer; a power source;and and software that can buffer or allow a user's actions on theInternet.
 8. The breathalyzer system of claim 7, wherein the housing isbottle-shaped.
 9. The breathalyzer system of claim 7, wherein the dataconnection to the computer is achieved by a USB connection.
 10. Thebreathalyzer system of claim 7, wherein the data connection to thecomputer is achieved by a Bluetooth connection.
 11. The breathalyzersystem of claim 7, wherein the data connection to the computer isachieved by an IEEE 802.11 connection.
 12. The breathalyzer system ofclaim 7, wherein the power source is a battery.